Everything You Need to Know About ‘Super Mario Run’

Apple’s iPhone 7 event got off to a bang this morning with the surprise announcement that Super Mario is officially on his way to iOS! Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto took to the stage in Cupertino, California, to unveil Super Mario Run, an all new side-scrolling, level-based auto-runner that’s set to hit the App Store this coming Holiday season.

This game seemingly came out of nowhere, so I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions. Below I’ve done my best to answer them.

So it’s a runner game starring Mario, right?

Indeed it is. Think along the lines of Rayman Jungle Run or Lost Socks: Naughty Brothers — except with Mario and lashings of Nintendo’s usual polish, depth and charm — and you’re on the right track. Apparently the game will feature three different game modes: 1) a series of challenging courses for you to complete, 2) a race through levels against other people’s ghosts, and 3) a means of spending the coins you collect in the first two modes on building your very own Mushroom Kingdom.

How does it look in action?

Pretty spectacular. Check out this video footage (via Kotaku) of Shigeru Miyamoto announcing the game and talking the audience through its features and various gameplay modes.

Will it be free-to-play?

Nope. Unlike Nintendo’s first stab at mobile gaming, Miitomo (our review), Super Mario Run will be launched as a premium, ‘pay once and play’ title. Before you ask, there’s no word yet on exactly how much it will cost, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted should we hear anything more on that front. If you’re anything like me, though, this’ll be an ‘instabuy’ no matter the price!

When can I get my greasy paws on it?

Nintendo and Apple announced it as a “Holiday” release, so probably December-ish. That suddenly seems like a very long way off, right? However, you can pre-register your interest in the game through the App Store right now. Hit the link below to do so, and you’ll be notified just as soon as Super Mario Run becomes available to download.

Super Mario Run on the App Store.